He's also contributing some art for ASE2-3, which you can see here and here and here, and he's got another blog post with an ASE-friendly adventure called The Red Demon

(at least, I'm assuming those are illustrations for ASE2-3, I'm terrible about actually emailing and asking, it's way more fun just to assume and be corrected later)

Going a bit off topic, the last of the art is trickling in from Brian "Glad" Thomas as well, and the writing is virtually done, so things will release "soon". Which still means a couple of weeks to get through proofreading, layout, cover, post-processing the art and maps, etc, but the end is in sight.

2012-09-24

Scientists are the priests and enforcers of the cult of Science (described in ASE1). They do not have any spell-casting abilities – but the preserved lore of the cult has taught them how to perform many marvels just the same.

As a Scientist gain levels, the cult recognizes his increased Scientific prowess by bestowing secret learning and cybernetic enhancements upon him. At each odd-numbered level, the Scientist may choose a new power from those listed below, as long as he meets the minimum level requirement. All powers require either surgery or intense study, and the Scientist must spend a minimum of a week at a temple of Science after gaining an odd-numbered level in order to benefit from a new ability.

Scientists may use any weapons and/or shields in combat, but are restricted to leather armor for religious reasons (leather lab coats dyed white are a particular favorite).

Scientific Powers and Enhancements

Level

Name

1

Cybernetic Arm

1

Fingerblades

1

Identify Technology

1

Suturepede

1

Wired Reflexes

3

Cybernetic Legs

3

Repair Robot

3

Repulsor Field

3

Targeting Reticule

3

Well-Grounded

5

Bioanalysis

5

Hemofiltration

5

Recharge Item

5

Ring Modulator

7

Adrenaline Boost

7

Power Cell

7

Subvert Robot

11

Mind Transfer

11

Supremacy of Science

Adrenaline Boost: Once per day, the Scientist is able to release vast quantities of adrenaline into his bloodstream from a reservoir in his abdomen. This acts as per the haste spell for 3 rounds.

Bioanalysis: In addition to being able to measure the pulse, blood pressure, and body temperature of a patient, the Scientist is able to use the information his enhanced senses provide to determine if someone is lying with 75% accuracy.

Cybernetic arm: A Scientist with this ability has had one of his arms replaced by a mechanical equivalent. This adds +1 to his Strength (not to exceed 18). This is not compatible with fingerblades, and a scientist with the fingerblades ability will lose it from the replaced arm. This ability may be taken twice (once for each limb replaced).

Cybernetic legs: Both of the character’s legs have been replaced with pneumatic-driven hardware. His movement rate increases by 30’ (10’), he is able to jump 10’ in the air vertically, and 20’ horizontally (40’ from a running start).

Fingerblades: The Scientist’s fingertip bones are replaced with retractable razors. He is able to attack twice per round, once with each hand, doing 1d4 damage (plus strength bonus) per hand. Fingerblade fighting techniques require both hands free – the character cannot combine a melee weapon attack with an off-hand fingerblade attack.

Hemofiltration: The character’s kidneys and liver are replaced with an improved biotech filtration system. He is now immune to poison. Few Scientists take this ability, as it also eliminates the intoxicating effects of drugs and alcohol.

Identify Technology: The Scientist has immersed himself in ancient lore and data sheets, and is able to identify the purpose of technological artifacts found in the lost ruins of civilization. He has a 10% chance per level (max 90%) of successfully identifying a technological item’s powers.

Mind Transfer: This ability enables a Scientist to transfer his mind into a computer or robot. The transfer is irreversible – the Scientist’s body dies once the mind-pattern is moved into the robot. The poor reliability of millennia-old machinery eventually leads to madness and system failure among the Scientists transferred, so as a rule these hybrid minds are shoved in the back of a dusty closet after a few decades of operation.

Power Cell: A small energy cell is embedded in the Scientist’s abdomen, with a power-port exposed on his sternum. A curved “cap” of gleaming solar panels is grafted onto his skull in place of hair, allowing the cell to recharge after a day spent in the sun. The cell gives an additional 10 shot capacity to laser pistols and rifles wielded by the Scientist. The cell may not be used with the recharge item ability – it does not deliver nearly enough current.

Recharge Item: The Scientist may attempt to recharge drained technological artifacts. He has a 10% chance per level (max 90%) of successfully recharging an item, granting an additional 2d4 charges (up to the item’s maximum number of charges). On failure, however, the item is ruined. The recharge attempt requires a functioning power source and a collection of transformers, parts, and cables – and is thus usually performed at a temple of Science. Recharging laser pistols and rifles is a simple affair, and success is automatic with those items.

Repair Robot: A Scientist with this ability may use spare parts ripped from some otherwise useless technological item to jury-rig repairs to a robot, “healing” it of 2d8 points of damage. This ability may only be used once per day on any given robot (even by a different Scientist) as there is only so much jury-rigging a single machine can take and still function properly.

Repulsor Field: A small gravitational repulsor module is implanted under the Scientist’s ribcage. The field repels anything moving quickly towards the scientist – there is a 50% chance that small missile weapons such as bullets miss outright, and a 10% chance that large missiles (boulders, rockets, etc) and melee weapons miss. This check is made after the normal “to hit” roll an attacker makes. Massless and near-massless weapons (such as lasers and plasma charges) are not affected by the repulsor field.

Ring Modulator: The Scientist’s voice is enhanced with a horrifying electronic effect, causing his voice to sound at both higher and lower frequencies simultaneously. Once per combat, the Scientist may screech threats at his opponents, forcing any sentient opponent within 30’ to make an immediate morale check. Robots find ring modulators soothing and are not affected by them.

Subvert Robot: A Scientist with this ability has been trained in the verbal, electronic, and data manipulations necessary to subvert a robot or a computer, modifying their programming to obey the Scientist. The target robot may make a save vs. spells to avoid the subversion. A subverted robot may save once per day on each following day to recover its original programming. After the third failed saving throw, the robot has been permanently re-programmed. A robot that saves successfully versus subversion may not be re-subverted until the Scientist gains a level. Subvert robot may only be attempted once per day, due to the mental strain it imposes on the Scientist.

Supremacy of Science: Vented implants in the Scientist’s torso are able to release a spherical cloud of nanomites capable of suppressing magic within a 10’ radius. No magical effects will operate in the sphere, creatures normally only harmed by magic will be susceptible to normal weapons while in it. It does not prevent summoned or magical creatures from entering the sphere, but their abilities will likely be severely hampered. The cloud is visible as a thin mist, and lasts for two hours. This ability may only be used once per day, as it takes time to generate new nanomites.

Suturepede: The suturepede is a biomechanical centipede-like creature surgically implanted within the Scientist’s body. When he falls at or below 0 hit points, the suturepede will exit through a wound and graft itself to the injuries, using its legs as sutures if necessary. This will immediately restore 3d8 hit points to the Scientist. The suturepede dies and falls off within 1d4 days of use, and the character must visit a temple of Science to have a replacement suturepede implanted.

Targeting Reticule: One of the Scientist’s eyes has been replaced with an improved targeting lens in a cylindrical black housing. He now has a +2 bonus to hit with lasers, guns, and other missile weapons, and detects secret doors on a roll of 1-2 on 1d6. Only one eye may be replaced with a targeting reticule – two reticules would only cause migraine headaches with no improvement in accuracy.

Well-Grounded: A mesh of stranded copper wire is implanted below the Scientist’s skin. Electrical attacks now only do half damage, and on a successful saving throw (if applicable) do no damage at all.

Wired Reflexes: A Scientist with this ability has had local microprocessors implanted into his joints, speeding the movements of his limbs. The improved reflexes grant +1 to his dexterity score.

2012-09-22

Robot characters start as slender exoskeletons with positronic brains encased in a relatively fragile acrylic head-shell. As it gains levels, a robot scavenges parts from other robots to enhance its strength and abilities.

Robots may wield melee and missile weapons in their pincers just as their human counterparts do with their hands. Additionally, as they level, robots build an increasingly deadly array of weapons into their arms for use in combat.

A robot does not wear armor or use a shield – as it gains levels, it upgrades its internal engines to support additional weight and constructs and incrementally improves an exoskeleton shell. A robot character does apply its dexterity bonus to its armor class.

Robots are especially susceptible to the attacks of rust monsters, taking 2d8 points of damage per round from contact with such creatures. On the plus side, being machines, robots are necessarily immune to the effects of poison and disease.

Robots are able to self-repair at a rate of 1 hit points of damage per level over an 8 hour period, given access to a suitable source of scrap metal. Clerical healing spells have no effect on their metal bodies – only specially trained Scientists are able to speed the repair process of a damaged robot.

The positronic brains of robots are deeply sensitive to negative energy, and thus robots are vulnerable to the level draining effects of the undead. A robot losing a level will involuntarily eject hardware as the negative energy courses through its machine intellect. Robots reduced to level 0 simply fall apart, and do not become undead robots.

Robot characters follow a well-established manufacturing schedule when gaining levels, delineated below. They must have access to the remains of a higher-level robot or automaton to gain a level, as no new parts have been manufactured for thousands of years.

2012-09-08

CAST--------Mongo the Fighter (4), his henchladies "Bunny" the Thief (1), Nancy "the Wrathful" the Fighter (1), and William the Sentinel (1), and his soil-bearers Malazar and BenartoRazoe the Fantra Paladin (3) and his henchman Skwisgar the Elf(1)

Razoe finally caught up to Mongo at "The Wretched" in Tarryfield. The duo decided to round up their henchmen and head to the cat-infested mansion, with an eye towards cleaning it up and making a home base out of it.

The house was a wreck. The windows had been smashed out by vandals, and the thousands of cats had left cat crap and urine everywhere. Mongo had some insightful observations about the cats - why would they defecate where they lived? It was quite peculiar behavior for cats.

Once they stepped inside, they heard some music from the left. They entered the mansion's music room, where a cello with broken strings and a twisted neck stood in a corner. A glowing yellow figure was somehow playing this broken cello - and faded away as Mongo and Razoe entered the room.

Spooked by the apparition, the players stepped over more cats and eventually made their way to the kitchen. This room was unlike any other in the house - its tiled floor was gleamed with cleanliness. The only sign of cats had ever been in the kitchen were five polished-looking cat skeletons laying on the floor.

Suspicious, Mongo picked up one of the cats rubbing against his legs and hurled it into the kitchen. The large oven door sprang open, and a slimy pink pseudopod quickly reached out and grabbed up the cat. It meowed pitifully as the pink blob began absorbing the feline even before it had withdrawn back into the oven.

Outraged that their potential home had a blob infestation, they began hurling screeching cats into the kitchen to lure the blob into the open. Once it made its way to the center of the room, Mongo had his two soil-bearers begin flinging cats over his shoulders, while he, Razoe, and their henchmen shot arrows into the blob.

The party was horrified when the blob split into four separate sections, which began heading towards the party. Some of the blob-portions were distracted by fresh cats being hurled at them, while the warriors focused on those oozing towards them. They hacked the blobs to pieces, organelles and slime oozing all over the floor - but not before one of the blob-portions flowed over Nancy. Her technologically fattened caboose was no protection against the flesh-hungry blob, which eagerly devoured her exposed face.

The remaining blob portions were slaughtered, but the fight had left Razoe and Mongo badly wounded from acid burns. Mongo lay himself down on the floor and had his soil-bearers cover his carroty skin with dirt. The nutrients in the soil healed him, and soon he was at full strength. Razoe had no such powers, so they decided to head back to "The Wretched" for a week of rest and recuperation.

The pair conferred, and decided that the dungeon would probably be a safer place to explore. They headed down the dirt track towards Denethix. Before the road reached Denethix, it passed through the town of Lugosi. A working-class town of brick buildings, with one major oddity - all the first-floor exterior walls were covered with mirrors. They interrogated a passer-by: "No, no, of course there are no vampires. Just a gimmick for tourism. No idea why the mirrors are really there, they've been around forever. Yes, there's a mausoleum up in the graveyard called the Tomb of the Vampire. You know what's there? Bunch of beer bottles. Teenagers keep having parties up there. Anyhow, we have our bimonthly Festival of Fangs - that's great! We light up torches at night, and the reflections off all these mirrors are just incredible! Well, hope to see you at one of the festivals!"

Suspicious of vampirism, the pair got out of town as quickly as possible, straight towards Denethix.

Once there, new henchmen were recruited. At Leafy Green's Salad Bar, Razoe managed to hire an elf named Skwisgar

Skwisgar: "I was hoping to sign on with Slezgar's Excellent Elven Edventurers. It's so sad what happened. Did you know him?"Mongo: "No. We know nothing about him."

And at the Tattered Heel, Mongo hired a sentinel.

Mongo: "Interested in a job?"Sentinel: "A job? Protecting you? From danger? I have waited all my life for this moment. Yes. Yes, I will go. I must go. (turning to his wife) Leave me now. Away with you! Stop crying. That part of my life is over now."Mongo: "What's your name?"Sentinel: "My new life begins in this very moment. My old self is dead. You must name me anew!"Mongo: "Ok... you're William."

The party headed back to the dungeon, skirting around Chelmsfordshire. While in the fields, they were accosted by two armed men. "Aha! Oh, wait. Nice armor you guys have there. Uh... bye!" The pair of would-be bandits fled through the fields, and the party was too unimpressed to give chase.

Once in the dungeon, they found that the chasm between first and second levels had been bridged again. Two ropes were strung across, one at "foot" level and one at "waist" level, providing a relatively easy route. Mongo and Razoe decided to explore a bit of the second level, and crossed rather than descending.

The nearby rooms appeared to have been ransacked, so the party headed down to the third level using the stairs. They found themselves in a delightfully not-flooded room, with a triangular screen on the wall. As they approached the screen, it turned on, and they were greeted with an image from beyond the grave - Slezgar! The elf said "Hey losers! Guess what? You're too late. I've already looted everything. So just go home." The screen then went black.

The frame of the screen had a little red button - Mongo used his extending 20' pole to press the button from a distance. The screen filled with the word "RECORDING", and once Razoe told him what it said, Mongo panicked, intending to smash the screen. Razoe stopped him, and instead recorded a new greeting, that involved Razoe's naked posterior.

Hijinx done, they followed a corridor northeast, coming to a black stone door with a winged skull carved on it, and the words "Herein lies the Bone Lord. In death he shall know no rest." Peeking through the door, they saw 17 skeletons dressed in formal wear (tuxedos and black dresses), a well-furnished fancy room with long dining table, and a great stone sarcophagus. One of the skeletons began to make a gesture, and they slammed the door shut in abject fright. They headed the opposite direction, back to the image of Razoe's behind, and headed down a northwest corridor.

The room at the end of this corridor had a message written on its south wall in black paint: "SAFE PASSAGE. SO SAY I, NIMIRLAN". A black triangle was painted underneath the message. Searching carefully, they found that the message had been painted upon a secret door.

Beyond the secret door, they found a secret supply cache. There were crates of odd food unlike anything they had ever seen - jerked cave-lizard and dried mushroom caps made up most of the food. There were also barrels of water, a half dozen swords, a jug of black paint and a satchel containing a paint brush and a jar of stinky ointment, a scroll with arcane writing, a crude partial map of the third level, and a small coffer containing 350 gp.

They then followed a second secret door out of this room, and found a set of stairs leading to a flooded corridor. The bottom stair was covered in fungus. They stepped through the fungus, and followed the watery corridor (flooded 2' deep) to a series of natural caves. There, they decided that they had enough exploration for the day, and returned to Tarryfield.